Gas prices and hiking

[RWheeler]

I see a prius as a status symbol, and with an average prius user getting 40-50mpg its not much better than many cars out there. Lets see if the cost of replacing a battery outweighs the gas saved..battery technology just isnt efficient yet. Some say its a myth some say its fact, but its still been said the production of a prius due to battery mining, shipping, etc. May harm the environment more than help. But who knows. Get an early 90s honda, toyota, mazda with a 4 cylinder for cheap and get a car that will.last forever and get 40mpg.

I've heard lots of things about how the up-front cost (financially and environmentally) of alternative fuel source vehicles is substantially greater than standard vehicles, but the technology is likely to advance. It needs support to advance, else it will be left in dust like the GM EV1 car from the 90s.

I agree with the 90's 4-cylinder car. I had a 97 Hyundai Tiburon, 5 speed. I got around 37 highway, 33-34 city with that thing with conservative shifting. I miss that car. I'd still have it if some guy didn't blow through a stop sign and t-bone me across the street into a pole. Mechanically that car was sound, and wicked easy to work on when anything went wrong. I had it for 5 years, about 70,000 miles and I had to re-do the clutch once, replace the gas tank once (bottomed out on a frost heave while driving up to Mt. Washington for a day hike once), and had to replace the exhaust header once because I was impatient and didn't let the car warm up on a day that was 12 below.

I'd gladly go for a car like that again instead of something new. Plus I only paid like $40/month in insurance for it because it was tiny and not worth much.

[JAK]

Not long after WWII, Japan became somewhat of the world's China, not as big, but they were producing a lot and people generally looked at the stuff from Japan as cheap junk. But now they're a leader in many respects in producing quality goods. I remember when my mom bought a toyota back in the 70's, it was a joke then, but now they're a major company. Much respect for the Japanese.

Back in 1970 one of my classmates took a trip to Japan, so our teacher showed us some films, and my friend brought back lots of pictures, and gave us all 1 Yen which was only worth 0.2 cents at the time. The teacher also had us bring something made in Japan in to school. At that time it was still mostly things like cheap paper-mache vases and stuff, but transistor radios might have started coming in also. I visited Japan when I was in the Navy, 14 or 15 years later, and a Yen was worth about a cent, and cars and electronics had gotten alot better. Last 30 years not much has changed in Japan, but China. WOW. Next 30 years???

[ScottP]

I see a prius as a status symbol, and with an average prius user getting 40-50mpg its not much better than many cars out there. Lets see if the cost of replacing a battery outweighs the gas saved..battery technology just isnt efficient yet. Some say its a myth some say its fact, but its still been said the production of a prius due to battery mining, shipping, etc. May harm the environment more than help. But who knows. Get an early 90s honda, toyota, mazda with a 4 cylinder for cheap and get a car that will.last forever and get 40mpg.

Wrong.

The prius has been out in Japan since the mid 90's. The failure rate for batteries is very low. I think 1/40,000 in the first 8 years/160,000 miles.

Also, the majority of the cost difference between a hybrid and a standard car is in tariffs on the hybrid components.

Also, if you buy a used hybrid, you pay less more like $500-$1,000 for the 'hybrid' upgrade

[Pedaling Fool]

Wrong.

The prius has been out in Japan since the mid 90's. The failure rate for batteries is very low. I think 1/40,000 in the first 8 years/160,000 miles.

I don't know anything about battery life in electric cars, but that seems a little excessive. If it is accurate, that's pretty good.

[Spokes]

I see a prius as a status symbol, and with an average prius user getting 40-50mpg its not much better than many cars out there. Lets see if the cost of replacing a battery outweighs the gas saved..battery technology just isnt efficient yet. .....

That myth was dispelled way back in 2008 after an Australian Taxi company sorted through data from their fleet of 32 Prius'. You can read the article here:

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1...s-battery-myth

Want a Consumer Reports review?

From Wikipedia (highlights added):

Battery life cycle

"As the Prius reached ten years of being available in the U.S. market, in February 2011 Consumer Reports decided to look at the lifetime of the Prius battery and the cost to replace it. The magazine tested a 2002 Toyota Prius with over 200,000 miles on it, and compared the results to the nearly identical 2001 Prius with 2,000 miles tested by Consumer Reports 10 years before. The comparison showed little difference in performance when tested for fuel economy and acceleration. Overall fuel economy of the 2001 model was 40.6 miles per US gallon (5.79 L/100 km; 48.8 mpg-imp) while the 2002 Prius with high mileage delivered 40.4 miles per US gallon (5.82 L/100 km; 48.5 mpg-imp). The magazine concluded that the effectiveness of the battery has not degraded over the long run. The cost of replacing the battery varies between US$2,200 and US$2,600 from a Toyota dealer, but low-use units from salvage yards are available for around US$500. ... "


Hmmm, most US car consumers trade their vehicles way before 200,000 miles. That is, if they even last that long.

BTW, I see just being able to purchase gasoline as a status symbol.

[coach lou]

BUT, is any of this affecting you getting to the trail?

[Pedaling Fool]

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1...s-battery-myth

Pretty impressive life span.

[RedBeerd]

I see a prius as a status symbol, and with an average prius user getting 40-50mpg its not much better than many cars out there. Lets see if the cost of replacing a battery outweighs the gas saved..battery technology just isnt efficient yet. .....

That myth was dispelled way back in 2008 after an Australian Taxi company sorted through data from their fleet of 32 Prius'. You can read the article here:

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1...s-battery-myth

From Wikipedia (highlights added):

Battery life cycle

"As the Prius reached ten years of being available in the U.S. market, in February 2011 Consumer Reports decided to look at the lifetime of the Prius battery and the cost to replace it. The magazine tested a 2002 Toyota Prius with over 200,000 miles on it, and compared the results to the nearly identical 2001 Prius with 2,000 miles tested by Consumer Reports 10 years before. The comparison showed little difference in performance when tested for fuel economy and acceleration. Overall fuel economy of the 2001 model was 40.6 miles per US gallon (5.79 L/100 km; 48.8 mpg-imp) while the 2002 Prius with high mileage delivered 40.4 miles per US gallon (5.82 L/100 km; 48.5 mpg-imp). The magazine concluded that the effectiveness of the battery has not degraded over the long run. The cost of replacing the battery varies between US$2,200 and US$2,600 from a Toyota dealer, but low-use units from salvage yards are available for around US$500. ... "

So in the end it is just an ugly way of getting OKAY gas mileage
Ill stick with my Honda Civic Si. It goes 130mph when it wants to, or it gets 32mpg when it wants to, easily fits my bike and hiking gear, looks good, 5 speed, and i got it for $10,000 less than a prius. Score!

[Spokes]

BUT, is any of this affecting you getting to the trail?

No.........

[Spokes]

So in the end it is just an ugly way of getting OKAY gas mileage
Ill stick with my Honda Civic Si. It goes 130mph when it wants to, or it gets 32mpg when it wants to, easily fits my bike and hiking gear, looks good, 5 speed, and i got it for $10,000 less than a prius. Score!

Good for you! Proves you can get around in a trashed out Honda, Toyota, or high end luxury car just like you can complete a thru-hike with cheap out-of-date gear purchased in a thrift store or the latest whiz-bang, high end, ultra-light expensive stuff.

We all have our comfort zones and budgets to contend with.

[RedBeerd]

I see a prius as a status symbol, and with an average prius user getting 40-50mpg its not much better than many cars out there. Lets see if the cost of replacing a battery outweighs the gas saved..battery technology just isnt efficient yet. Some say its a myth some say its fact, but its still been said the production of a prius due to battery mining, shipping, etc. May harm the environment more than help. But who knows. Get an early 90s honda, toyota, mazda with a 4 cylinder for cheap and get a car that will.last forever and get 40mpg.

Wrong.

The prius has been out in Japan since the mid 90's. The failure rate for batteries is very low. I think 1/40,000 in the first 8 years/160,000 miles.

Also, the majority of the cost difference between a hybrid and a standard car is in tariffs on the hybrid components.

Also, if you buy a used hybrid, you pay less more like $500-$1,000 for the 'hybrid' upgrade

You must drive a prius

[RedBeerd]

So in the end it is just an ugly way of getting OKAY gas mileage
Ill stick with my Honda Civic Si. It goes 130mph when it wants to, or it gets 32mpg when it wants to, easily fits my bike and hiking gear, looks good, 5 speed, and i got it for $10,000 less than a prius. Score!

Good for you!

I'm hauling kayaks on my Prius with a Yakima rack and smiling every time I stand at the gas pump.

That makes two of us too bad we cant paddle to the trail head..

[rocketsocks]

Back in 1970 one of my classmates took a trip to Japan, so our teacher showed us some films, and my friend brought back lots of pictures, and gave us all 1 Yen which was only worth 0.2 cents at the time. The teacher also had us bring something made in Japan in to school. At that time it was still mostly things like cheap paper-mache vases and stuff, but transistor radios might have started coming in also. I visited Japan when I was in the Navy, 14 or 15 years later, and a Yen was worth about a cent, and cars and electronics had gotten a lot better. Last 30 years not much has changed in Japan, but China. WOW. Next 30 years???

Were all working for the japanese,little cars and color TV's,all the money goes over sea's to the eastern sphere.One day were gonna roos our loots,wear oriental jeans and boots,and drink nothing but kawasaki sake rice wine and mitsubishi light beer~The Doo Doo Wahs

[RWheeler]

I don't normally say anything about spelling/grammar, I know I got serious personal issues there, but I believe you should have written cent vs cents. As in 2/10 of a cent

Nah, if you write it as .2, then it'd be cents. If you write it as 2/10 of a.. then it'd be cent. The reason being the latter, the "cent" applies to "a", implying a whole. Any number other than 1 (including fractions) uses a "plural" form of nouns.

"How much gas did you need to put in the car?" ".5 gallons" OR "half a gallon"

[nufsaid]

Surely a true environmental activist would hike to their favorite hiking trail and not rely on any fossil fuels.

[Spokes]

Surely a true environmental activist would hike to their favorite hiking trail and not rely on any fossil fuels.

That flies in the face of the entire concept of civilization itself.

As Jaroslaw Kessler wrote in "CIVILIZING EVENTS AND CHRONOLOGY":

"Thus, civilization presents a wave-like process: evolutional periods (replication and reproduction of goods by means of conventional technology and experience) alternate with revolutional ones (when a certain technological burst takes place)."

The use and proliferation of fossil fuels included. I myself are thankful for them.

[ScottP]

it's accurate. That's the warranty on the hybrid components, and the rate of failure within warranty.

[coach lou]

Me, my pack, Tipi Walter, HIS pack cannot fit in a Prius!

[ScottP]

You must drive a prius

Nope. I live car free. Bike or run for transportation. Or mooch rides.

Obviously it's better to drive small non-hybrid cars as compared to large hybrids, to some extent (cars that are too short aren't very aerodynamic, I believe)

but best of all is cars that are small and hybrid.

Also, the standards for calculating MPG changed in the recent past. So yes, the geo metro at one point got 50 miles/gallon, but that was on the old method of calculation.

Now a hybrid sub-compact would be a nice car.

Also it's really going to depend on what driving you do: hybrids are nice in stop and go, but not as useful on highways.


It is an interesting thought about the battery mining. I think the nickle is largely recycled. Not sure about the other components.

[Spokes]

Plastic components found in several locations on the Prius are plant based.

http://www.japanesesportcars.com/toy...ants_5977.html

Love it!